The Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth) has yet to pay claims with private hospitals worth more than P10 billion, the Private Hospitals Association of the Philippines, Inc. (PHAPI) said.
PHAPI president, Dr. Jose Rene De Grano in a super radyo dzBB interview on Saturday, said the amount is based on the group’s estimate is from three to four months ago.
“What they called an additional of over P10 billion, those are what they call in-process claims. More or less, half of that comes from private hospitals,” De Grano said.
He said that the unpaid claims continue to increase as patients keep coming every day, adding that private hospitals can’t refuse to accept patients nor can they not grant PhilHealth benefits as patients might suffer.
De Grano added: “Our countrymen will be in a bad spot if we don’t admit them to our hospitals.”
Reports said PhilHealth now owes hospitals in the country some P27 billion but promises to settle them in the next 90 days.
PhilHealth president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Ledesma cited the agency’s more than P400 billion in investible funds and over P68 billion in net income as proof of its liquidity and capability to meet its financial obligations.
Ledesma told the House Appropriations Committee they would be rolling out soon the debit credit payment mechanism for the purpose.
During the committee hearing, AGRI party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee scored the PhilHealth for not being able to pay the hospitals.
As a consequence, Lee said some hospitals no longer accept PhilHealth payments even as they could no longer afford the salaries of its staff.
“I’m happy to state to honorable congressmen that we will completely, hopefully, or very high percentage po within 90 days [mabayaran] ‘yung P27 billion,” Ledesma said.
“I’m confident that within 90 days from today bulk or majority if not all of the P27 billion will be paid off and hopefully that will make the hospitals and the doctors happy,” Ledesma said.
Ledesma asserted that their cash position was high so they are also looking at reforms in the company.
Ledesma also revealed they have started revising the benefit case packages, among other reforms.